Should a history of venous thromboembolism be considered a contraindication for scuba diving?

The question of whether scuba diving is safe for patients with a history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains unanswered. Cases of VTE have been reported after decompression accidents but not following properly conducted dives. However, the risk of VTE and bleeding on anticoagulant therapy during diving has yet to be defined.

Mercury-Resistant Bacteria Isolated from an Estuarine Ecosystem with Detoxification Potential.

Mercury pollution is a significant environmental issue, primarily resulting from industrial activities, including gold mining extraction. In this study, 333 microorganisms were tested in increasing mercury concentrations, where 158 bacteria and 14 fungi were able to grow and remain viable at concentrations over 5.0 mg/L of mercuric chloride (II).

Swiss Consensus on Prenatal and Early Postnatal Urinary Tract Dilation: Practical Approach and When to Refer.

Urinary tract dilations (UTDs) are the most frequent prenatal renal anomaly. The spectrum of etiologies causing UTD ranges from mild spontaneously resolving obstruction to severe upper and lower urinary tract obstruction or reflux. The early recognition and management of these anomalies allows for improved renal endowment prenatally and ultimately better outcome for the child.

Differentiation status determines the effects of IFNγ on the expression of PD-L1 and immunomodulatory genes in melanoma.

Background: Melanoma cells frequently dedifferentiate in response to inflammation which can increase responses to certain cytokines. Interferon-γ (IFNγ) is an integral part of the anti-tumor immune response and can directly induce both differentiational changes and expression of immunosuppressive proteins in melanoma cells. How the differentiation status of melanoma cells affects IFNγ responses remains unclear.

Positivity of antiphosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies identifies a subgroup of more severe antiphospholipid syndrome patients.

Objectives: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease combining the occurrence of thrombotic and/or obstetric events with the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (i.e. lupus anticoagulant (LA), anti-cardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta-2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) antibodies).